Structural material.



J. H. MILLS.

STRUCTURAL MATERIAL.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.13, 1906.

15975 5., Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

I ll I barren snares rnrnnr mom 1 JOSEPH n. MILLS, or mom Lorin, racism.

STRUCTURAL MATERIAL.

masses. I

specification of Letters mm.

Application filed January 18, 1906. Serial No. 295,961.

I Patented @ct. Ml, teas.

. under the [general designation of lumber and to this en I provide structural material of any length and dimensions by building up the same from a hollow frame of wood in connection with metal preferably sheet steel of suitable gage or thickness. In this man- '"ner I am enabled to produce a construction which possesses many advantages over the ordinary lumber among which advantages may be mentioned comparative cheapness and lightness in weight as well as sanitary advantages and protection against fire.

As i's-well known the price of lumber is rapidly increasing owing to the scarcity thereof or inaccessibility to the source of supply and as is also well known the price increases considerably, in board measure, in considerable proportion beyond certain lengths and widths. However, by the use of my built-up structural material I am onabled to produce a construction not only equaling but exceeding in strength and rigidity lumber of the same dimensions and also a construction which is considerably cheaper in price and much lighter in weight. In addition, I am enabled to utilize shorter lengths and widths of material which can be obtained at much less price than the longer lengths and wider widths. The increase of the length of my structural material increases the cost only in a substantially regular ratio and the increase in the width increases the cost in a diminished ratio, whereas the increase in length and width of the regular lumber causes an increase in cost in a ratio approximating a geometrical ratio. Moreover whereas the length and width of ordinary lumber are within fairly close restrictions, I am enabled to reduce alumber construction of any desired width or length without being restrioted to any commercial lengths and widths whatsoever. Furthermore by covering the wooden frame work to a greater or lms extent, as may be desired, 1 am enabled to make the construction sanitary aiid also make it fire-proof and in addition I am enabled to provide the proper foundation for nailing. Other advantageous features of my material will be apparent from the description hereinafter given and will also be hereinafter more particularly referred to after an explanation and disclosure of the invention have been made.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective of one form of my lumber construction with the material on two opposite sides only leaving the wood of the frame work at the other two sides exposed for nailing purposes; Fig. 2 across section of the construction shown in Fig. 1; Figs.

8, 4 and 5 cross sections of modified forms of my lumber construction; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 detailed views representing my novel method of securing the sheet metal to the wooden members of the frame; Figs. 9 and 10 views of different methods for securing the sheet metal to its wooden frame; and Fig. 11 a detail of a modified form of construction.

My invention may partake of different forms of construction as well as of difierent dimensions which different forms of construction vary more particularly because of the greater or less extent of envelopment of the wooden members or frame by the sheet metal. Some of the difl'erent forms of con struction which may be adopted are illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5 and the same will now be referred to and described in that order.

Referring to the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 and also in Fig. 2, I first provide a frame composed of the two parallel wooden membersl- 1 which may be of any desired length, width or thickness asconditions may require, or which may be built up ofsections until the required length of the entire lumber construction is obtained". By preference I arrange and secure at intervals between these members 1 a series of cross braces 2 so as to maintain the sheet metaliin perfectly fiat condition and there by be enabled to utilize the full tensile strength of the metal,as hereinafter made apparent. StillQreferring to the constru tion shown inFig. 1-, I secure to o posits" .in Fig. 3, this construction is the same as that of Figs. 1 and 2 with the QXCBPtlOTl that one of the edges is also covered by the sheet metal, in the present instance by continuing one of the side strips of sheet metal to form the side or edge 3 to cover one edge, the other edge being left exposed. This form of construction has the advantage over that form illustrated in Fig. 1 in that it possesses additional fire-proofing inasmuch as that edge which would probably be the exposed one in actual build-- lng construction is thus covered by the sheet metal.

Referring next to the modification illustrated in Fig. 4:, according to this construc-' tion the sheet metal completely surrounds the wooden frame, both the metal strips in this instance being continued to form portions 3 which envelop or cover the edges of the frame. This construct-ion is fireproof inasmuch as the wood is not at all exposed but completely covered or surrounded by the sheet metal. In the use of this construction as well as that illustrated in Fig. 3, the nails may be driven directly through the sheet metal and into the Woodof the frame. A

Referring next to the modification illustrated in Fig. 5, the wooden members or strips are here shown as provided on one side only with the sheet metal, which is secured to said wooden strips in suitable manner, but preferabl in the manner hereinafter explained in etail.

As hereinbefore sug ested I prefer. to employ 'a novel and e cient method and means for securing the sheet metal to the Wooden frame. Such method and means form no part of my present invention but as the formation and cooperation of tongues stamped from the body of the sheet metal constitute an element in the preferred embodiment of my invention, I have illustrated the same in detail by Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, and I will describe in a general way, the mechanism for forming or stampin the tongues and pressing the same into t e wood.

As shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 tongues 4 of substantially trapezoid shape are stamped fi'om the body othe sheet metal and ower-e hinged at its narrower side. The body of the tongue is forced downwardly into the wood and longitudinally thereof with the result that in practice the tongue occupies a position in the body of the wood at substantially. right angles to its strip. Owing to the peculiar shape of the tongue and to this method of embedding the same in the body of the wood, an anchor or positive attachment is formed for the strips inasmuch as owing to the widened character of the free ends of the tongues the same cannot be withdrawn from the wood except by a pressure which would disrupt the entire construction. Moreover, by this means the sheet metal is held to the wood against forces exerted at every possible angle. In any event the anchorage is more firm and rigid than would be the case if nails were employed. It will ,be understood that a series of these tongues preferably in staggered relationship may be stamped from the sheet metal strips near their opposite longitudinal edges corresponding to the posit-ions occupied by the Wooden members or strips, all as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 and also in Fig. 2. Furthermore, provision may be made for strengthening the structural material at the point or points of greatest strains by reinforcing the sheet metal at such point or points. For instance, as seen in Fig. 11, which illustrates a construction of considerable length, two additional sheets or plies 3* are employed, the same being of decreasing length so that the middle portion alone shall be strengthened by the full number of sheets or plies. These plies and the number thereof will be according to the location and character of the strain to which the structural material may be subjected.

The sheet metal may be secured in any suitable manner, as hereinbefore stated, and although the method illustrated in Fi s. 1 to 8, in which tongues stamped there 0111 are anchored in the wood, will be found eficient and satisfactory in use yet other efficient methods may be adapted, as illustrated in Figs. 9 andlO, in which one of the side strips 1 is grooved and also undercut along the center of its outer surface for the purpose of receiving the inwardly turned ends 3- of the opposite metal strips 3, it being understood that both longitudinal edges of eachplate are secured or anchored in like manner. While in Fig. 10 a single groove in each side strip 1 suflices for both of the opposite sheet metal strips, yet if desired each longitudinal edge of each strip 7 may be provided with its own groove, as illustrated in Fig. 10, wherein the longitudinal edges 3 of each of the metal strips avoiding the necessity incident in the case acme filled with cement, concrete or the like especially in case additional strength or rigidity is required or preferred. Moreover this filling of the structural material with cement may be done either at the place of manufacture of the structural material or at the place of use, that is in situ.

The structural material thus produced by me is capable of taking the place of ordinary lumber and possesses many advantages in addition to those mentioned, due to the fact that it is a manufactured product. For instance, it can be made of the exact dimensions required and is of course [serviceable to its full, dimensions, thus avoiding the Waste arising in the use of ordinary lumber from cutting out defects due to checking, or other causes; and any desired architectural form or special dimensions that may be required can be accurately made, thus of'ord'inary lumber to trimming and fitting part to place. Also the employment of the sheet metal secured to the wooden frame results in so utilizing the tensile strength of the metal as to secure a particularly strong and rigid article, which is not subject to warping through the effect of Weather or time to the same extent as ordi-' nary lumber. Furthermore, the employment of my material overcomes all the disadvantages resulting in the use of ordinary lumber in house construction as respects cracking, settling, distortion and the like, and such employment of my structural material also permits the walls of a house to be plastered and papered with safety immediately following the construction.

I claim 1. Structural material made to commercial forms and comprising parallel wooden strips spaced apart, and two strips of sheet metal extending across and covering two opposite edges of the wooden strips, leaving two opposite sides thereof exposed for nailing purposes, both the wooden and metal strips constituting an integral structure and an article of commerce and said metallic strip having tongues stamped out therefrom and embedded into the wood for so securing the woodenand metallic strips together.

2. Structural material made to commercial forms and comprising two parallel strips constituting an integral structure and an article of commerce.

JOSEPH H. MILLS.

Witnesses:

S. E. HIBBEN, I LOUIS B. Enwm. 

